Name: Vandana Srivastava

Ph.D. Coursework 2019

Research Center : MITS, Gwalior
Dept: Architecture and Planning
Supervisor: Dr. Alok Sharma
Co-supervisor: Dr. S.S.Kushwah

Elective I - Title : Renewable Energy

A report on - Introduction to Energy Sources (Renewable and non-renewable
energy sources)

Energy is the ability to do work and work is the transfer of energy from one form to another. Energy is
what we use to manipulate the world around us, whether by exciting our muscles, by using electricity,
or by using mechanical devices. Energy comes in different forms - heat (thermal), light (radiant),
mechanical, electrical, chemical, and nuclear energy.

Any physical activity in this world, whether carried out by human beings or by nature, is caused due to
flow of energy in one form or the other. The word ‘energy’ itself is derived from the Greek word
‘en-ergon’, which means ‘in-work’ or ‘work content’. The work output depends on the energy input.

Energy is one of the major inputs for the economic development of any country. In the case of the
developing countries, the energy sector assumes a critical importance in view of the ever- increasing
energy needs requiring huge investments to meet them.

Energy can be classified into several types based on the following criteria:
• Primary and Secondary energy
• Commercial and Non commercial energy
• Renewable and Non-Renewable energy
• Conventional and Non-conventional energy

1. Primary and Secondary Energy

Primary energy sources are those that are either found or stored in nature. Common primary energy
sources are coal, oil, natural gas, and biomass (such as wood). Other primary energy sources
available include nuclear energy from radioactive substances, thermal energy stored in earth's
interior, and potential energy due to earth's gravity. The major primary and secondary energy sources
are shown in Figure 1

Primary energy sources are costly converted in industrial utilities into secondary energy sources;
for example coal, oil or gas converted into steam and electricity. Primary energy can also be used
directly. Some energy sources have non energy uses, for example coal or natural gas can be used as
a feedstock in fertilizer plants.
 2. Commercial Energy and Non Commercial Energy

Commercial Energy

The energy sources that are available in the market for a definite price are known as commercial
energy. By far the most important forms of commercial energy are electricity, coal and refined
petroleum products. Commercial energy forms the basis of industrial, agricultural, transport and
commercial development in the modern world. In the industrialized countries, commercialized fuels
are predominant source not only for economic production, but also for many household tasks of
general population.
Examples: Electricity, lignite, coal, oil, natural gas etc.

Non-Commercial Energy

The energy sources that are not available in the commercial market for a price are classified as
non-commercial energy. Non-commercial energy sources include fuels such as firewood, cattle dung
and agricultural wastes, which are traditionally gathered, and not bought at a price used especially in
rural households. These are also called traditional fuels. Non-commercial energy is often ignored in
energy accounting.
Example: Firewood, agro waste in rural areas; solar energy for water heating, electricity generation,
for drying grain, fish and fruits; animal power for transport, threshing, lifting water for irrigation,
crushing sugarcane; wind energy for lifting water and electricity generation.
 3. Renewable and Non Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible. Examples of
renewable resources include wind power, solar power, geothermal energy, tidal power and
hydroelectric power (See Figure 1.2).

The most important feature of renewable energy is that it can be harnessed without the release of
harmful pollutants. Non-renewable energy is the conventional fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas,
which are likely to deplete with time.

True renewable energy sources are energy supplies that are refilled by natural processes at least as
fast as we use them. All renewable energy comes, ultimately, from the sun. We can use the sun
directly (as in solar heating systems) or indirectly (as in hydroelectric power, wind power, and power
from biomass fuels). Renewable energy supplies can become exhausted if we use them faster than
they become replenished: most of England’s forests were cut down for fuel before the English started
using coal. If used wisely, however, renewable energy supplies can last forever.

4. Conventional and Non Conventional Energy

Conventional Energy

Conventional energy resources which are being traditionally used for many decades and were in
common use around oil crisis of 1973 are called conventional energy resources, e.g., fossil fuel,
nuclear and hydro resources.

Non-conventional energy

Non-conventional energy resources which are considered for large – scale use after the oil crisis of
1973, are called non-conventional energy sources, for example; solar, wind, bio- mass etc.
A chronicle of energy usage

Since the dawn of humanity people have used renewable sources of energy to survive — wood for
cooking and heating, wind and water for milling grain, and solar for lighting fires. A little more than 150
years ago people created the technology to extract energy from the ancient fossilized remains of
plants and animals. These super-rich but limited sources of energy (coal, oil, and natural gas) quickly
replaced wood, wind, solar, and water as the main sources of fuel. Over the last 200 years, people
have become more and more dependent on energy that they dig out of the ground.

In the 1700’s, almost all our energy came from wind, water, firewood, or muscle power. The wind
powered our windmills and sailing ships. Water powered our water wheels. Firewood did our cooking
and heated our homes. Muscle power (human or animal) did just about everything else.
All these energy sources came from the sun, since solar energy drove wind and rain, grew trees, and
grew crops to nourish our animals and ourselves. All these energy sources were also renewable,
since wind kept blowing, rivers kept flowing, and trees and crops kept growing.

About 1800, we began to get much of our energy from coal dug out of the ground.

About 1900 we began to drill for oil and natural gas.

By 1950 these “fossil fuels” had mainly displaced the older energy sources except for water power.
Fossil fuels come from the decayed remains of prehistoric plants and animals, so their energy also
comes, originally, from the sun. In some parts of the world new fossil fuels are being formed even
today. But we are using fossil fuels at a far greater rate than they are being created, using up energy
stored over hundreds of millions of years in a few hundred years.

After 1950, we began to use atomic energy from uranium dug from the ground. Uranium is not a
fossil fuel, and its energy does not originate from the sun. But uranium, like fossil fuels, is
non-renewable: once it’s used up, it’s gone forever.

Over the past 25 years, use of older renewable energy sources has increased and we have begun to
use new renewable energy sources as well. We have realized that our fossil and atomic fuels will not
last forever, and that their use contributes to environmental pollution. Renewable energy – which
basically comes from the sun in one way or another – provides opportunities for an unlimited,
sustainable energy supply with low environmental impact. And renewable energy is not just something
for the future, but something we can use in our homes today.

Need for Renewable Energy Sources

Energy drive human life. It is crucial for continued human development, and for human life. There is a
need for a secure and accessible supply of energy for the sustainability of modern societies period
now, energy has become an integral part of human life for almost every activity, example domestic,
transport, industrial, medical, etc. So, there is a need for energy security for sustainability of the
growing world population. Continuation of the use of fossil fuels (conventional energy sources) is said
to face multiple challenges namely
1. Depletion of fossil fuel reserves to global warming
2. Global warming and other environmental concerns
3. Geo political and military conflicts and
 4. Continuing fuel price rise.

These problems will create an unsustainable situation. renewable energy is the only solution to the
growing energy challenges. renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, biomass and wave and
tidal energy Are abundant, inexhaustible and environmentally friendly. Fossil fuels are being
exhausted through their uncontrolled harnessing of limited resource. The world relies heavily on fossil
fuels to meet its energy requirements. Fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal are providing almost 80%
of the global energy demands. On the other hand presently renewable energy and nuclear power are
respectively only contributing 13.5% and 6.5 % of the total energy needs in the world. The enormous
amount of energy being consumed across the world is having adverse implications on the ecosystem
of the planet.

Fossil fuels are inflicting enormous impacts on the environment. Climatic changes driven by human
activities cause the production of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). This is directly impacting on the
environmental conditions. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) as many as 1,60,000
people die each year from the side effects of climate change. This number could almost double by
2020. These Side Effects range from Malaria to malnutrition and diarrhoea that follow in the wake of
floods, droughts and warmer temperatures.

With the exception of humans every organism's total energy demand is its supply of energy in the
form of food derived directly or indirectly from sun energy. For humans the energy requirements are
not just for heating, cooling, transport and manufacture of goods but also those related to agriculture.
Solar energy is a renewable, environmentally friendly, pollution free and freely available energy
source on planet earth. Basically, solar energy is the direct source of all renewable and indirectly
source of all non renewable sources. In this perspective, over the last two decades solar energy
systems have experience rapid growth globally. However, energy and exergy analysis of renewable
energy systems can be used to estimate the environmental impact of different activities for producing
materials i.e. the more energy is required, the greater the environmental impact.

From renewable energy systems broadly the following forms of energy can be obtained:
1. thermal energy
2. mechanical energy and
3. electrical energy
From solar energy both thermal and electrical energy are achieved. The mechanical and electrical
energy can be obtained from biofuels, hydro power systems, wind energy conversion systems,
geothermal energy systems and ocean, tidal, waves and animal systems.

Alternative energy sources

There are other alternatives to our typical energy sources that are not renewable. Although these are
“alternative energy” rather than “renewable energy”, they use the energy we have, more efficiently
than older technologies. In doing this, they help us make our existing energy supplies last longer and
give us more time before we run out of stored fossil and atomic fuels. The use of renewable and
alternative energy sources can save us money, assure that our grandchildren and great grandchildren
will have enough energy supplies.

References:
1. Advanced Renewable Energy Sources by G.N. Tiwari and R.K. Mishra.
2. Handbook Alternative Energy - by J. Lavanya.